Hilary Pearson

Hilary Pearson has had a twenty-year career in the field of foundation philanthropy in Canada.  As the founding President of Philanthropic Foundations Canada for almost eighteen years, Hilary has worked with many of the largest private charitable foundations in the country.  She has been a strategic advisor and facilitator for many family foundations, in their work to understand the landscape, develop their goals, and structure their governance and grantmaking practices. Author of numerous articles and reviews on foundation philanthropy, Ms Pearson also speaks frequently at conferences and workshops in Canada and globally.  In her role at PFC, she edited comprehensive guides to starting and managing foundations, as well as guides for funders working with governments, with universities, and in policy advocacy. Ms Pearson has an extensive knowledge of federal public policy regarding charities. In 2019, she was appointed co-chair of the Advisory Committee on the Charitable Sector, advising the federal Minister of Revenue on policy and regulatory issues. From 2012 to 2015, she served on the Governor-General’s Advisory Committee on Volunteerism and Philanthropy. In July 2018, she was appointed to the Order of Canada for her contributions to building the field of philanthropy in Canada. Ms. Pearson is an experienced nonprofit board member, serving as a director on many national boards, including:

• Imagine Canada
• The Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada
• CARE Canada
• Indspire
• Canadian Cancer Society

She has a BA and MA in Political Economy from the University of Toronto, and honorary doctorates from Carleton University, Mount Allison University and the University of New Brunswick.